“最中国”的中国字 The Most “Chinese” Chinese Characters (Intermediate)

“最中国”的中国字The Most "Chinese" Chinese Characters

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Key Learning Points (Preview)

和谐 (héxié): n. harmony

反映 (fǎnyìng): v. to reflect

推崇 (tuīchóng) v. to praise highly

Lā’ěrfū.Àimòshēng shuō, wǒmen kěyǐ cóng yìguó de yǔyán
拉尔夫  爱默生           说，我们    可以   从    一国  的 语言
tuīduàn chū yìguó zhī wénhuà jīngshén.
推断        出  一国 之    文化        精神。
 

Ralph Emerson expresses the idea that the culture and spirit of a nation can be inferred from its language.

Zuìjìn, Zhōngguó Yíchǎn yuèkān quèdìng "chéngzǎi le zuìduō
最近，  《中国       遗产》月刊       确定       “承载    了  最多
Zhōngguó wénhuà zhī yìyùn" de yìbǎi gè hànzì.
中国             文化    之  意蕴”的  100  个  汉字。
 

Recently, a monthly magazine, Chinese Heritage, chose 100 characters that “best express the essence of Chinese culture.”

Ér cóngzhōng xuǎnchū de "zuì Zhōngguó" de Zhōngguó zì
而      从中       选出      的 “最    中国”    的   中国        字
bèi rènwéi shì "hé,"     tōngcháng bèi fānyì wéi "hépíng" huò "héxié."
被    认为    是“和”， 通常         被  翻译 为 “和平”    或“和谐”。
 

Among the characters chosen, "hé" came in at the top of the list. "Hé" is normally translated into "peace" or "harmony." 

Zhōngguó de wàijiāo zhèngcè "héxié shèhuì" hé
中国           的 外交      政策  “和谐    社会”  和
"hépíng juéqǐ” jiù yùnhán le "hé" zì.
“和平   崛起”就 蕴含   了“和”字。
 

It can be seen in aspects of Chinese foreign policy such as, "harmonious society" and "peaceful rise."

Tā shì Zhōngguó lìdài zhéxuéjiā, bāokuò Kǒngzǐ,
它  是  中国          历代  哲学家，  包括        孔子，
zài chángdá jǐqiān nián de lìshǐ zhōng tuīchóng de lǐniàn.
在  长达        几千    年  的  历史 中      推崇       的   理念。
 

It is also the principle that has been highly praised for thousands of years by Chinese philosophers, including Confucius.

Ěrqiě, tā hái yìwei zhe "gōngpíng," "pínghéng," "wēnnuǎn"
而且，它 还  意味   着  “公平”，“平衡”，    “温暖”
děng duōgè zhōngguó rén chángjiǔ yǐlái suǒ huá de lǐxiǎng.
等       多个     中国         人  长久      以来  所   怀   的   理想。
 

Moreover, it exemplifies the ideals of "justice," "balance" and "mildness" that Chinese people have cherished for a long time.

Qítā zuì néng fǎnyìng Zhōngguó wénhuà de zì
其它 最 能     反映      中国            文化     的 字
hái bāokuò "long," "yù," 'lǐ” děng.
还  包括  “龙”，“玉”，“礼”等。
 

Other words that reflect Chinese culture are "dragon," "jade," "rites," and so on.

Yìxiē rùxuǎn gāi míngdān de zì hái néng jiěshì
一些 入选     该  名单        的 字 还 能     解释
Zhōngguó jīngjì fāzhǎn de móshì.
中国          经济    发展  的   模式。
 

Some of the chosen characters elucidate the pattern of economic development in China.

 "Gōng (láolì huò gōngyè)" róngyì ràng rén liánxiǎng dào
“工  （劳力 或 工业）”   容易     让    人     联想       到
Zhongguó chuàng jìlù de xiàndàihuà jìnchéng.
中国            创      记录的   现代化          进程。
Ěr "tián," "lí," "nóng,""gǔ”                                 děng zì zé gèng néng
而“田”，“犁”，“农”，“家”，“谷”     等   字则 更      能
fǎnyìng Zhōngguó nóngyè jīngjì de lìshǐ chuántǒng.
反映       中国           农业    经济  的 历史     传统。
 

"Gong (labor or industry)" is easily connected with the record pace of recent Chinese Modernization, while words like "field," "plough," "farming" and "grain" better reflect the history of China's traditional agricultural economy.

Suízhe shàng qiānwàn de  yímín cóng Zhōngguó de
随着      上       千万       的   移民   从       中国       的
tiánjiān liúxiàng chéngshì, Zhōngguó guómín jīngshén
田间     流向         城市，        中国         国民      精神
jiāng zǒuxiàng héfāng ne?
将      走向        何方    呢？
 

With tens of millions of immigrants moving to the cities from the countryside, where is the Chinese national spirit headed?

Shì duì hépíng hé héxié de pànwàng,
是   对   和平     和  和谐  的   盼望，
háishì duì cáifù huò gètǐ zìyóu de kěqiú?
还是   对   财富  或  个体 自由 的 渴求？
 

Does this phenomenon show an expectation for peace and harmony? Or for wealth? Or a desire for individual freedom?

Zhèfèn "zuì Zhōngguó" de Zhōngguó zì lièbiǎo
这份   “最 中国”        的    中国       字   列表
gěichū le yìdiǎn dá'àn.
给出    了 一点  答案。
 

Perhaps the list of "the most Chinese" Chinese characters can give an answer.

Key Learning Points (Preview)

和谐 (héxié): v. harmony

Example:

Wǒmen xīwàng rén yǔ zìránjiè zhōng qítā
我们      希望     人  与  自然界 中      其它
shēngwù nénggòu héxié de shēnghuó zài dìqiú shàng.
生物          能够      和谐   的   生活        在   地球   上。
 

We hope that human beings and other living creatures can live in harmony on this planet.

反映 (fǎnyìng): v. to reflect

Example:

Zhège diáochá fǎnyìng le Àobāmǎ zǒngtǒng
这个     调查       反映    了   奥巴马    总统
shòudào le hěnduō niánqīngrén de zhīchí.
受到        了 很多       年轻人        的   支持。
 

This survey reflects that President Obama gained support from young voters.

推崇 (tuīchóng) v. to praise highly

Example:

Fāzhǎn chéngshì yīnggāi tuīchóng rénwén guānhuái,
发展      城市          应该      推崇         人文       关怀，
shùnyìng rénxìng yāoqiú.
顺应         人性       要求。
 

Developing cities must extol humane care and comply with the requirements of human nature.